Credit Card Plan To Help Taxis

The government has launched a project to issue NGV energy credit cards to drivers of taxis, passenger vans and samlor taxis.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday presided over the launch of the project at Impact Muang Thong Thani. The project is a collaboration of the Energy Ministry, PTT Plc and Krung Thai Bank.

Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said the cards will be issued to taxi, passenger van and tuk tuk drivers in Bangkok and surrounding provinces who are low-income earners affected by an increase in the price of natural gas for vehicles (NGV).

Each card has a credit limit of 3,000 baht. It can be used to pay for NGV bills.

Card holders are also entitled to discounts for the retail price of NGV of between 50 satang and two baht offered on every kilogramme of NGV paid for with the credit cards. The discounts received must not exceed the NGV purchase value of 9,000 baht per month. Card holders can use NGV energy credit cards with all NGV vehicles carrying an NGV refill card. The credit cards have been in use since Dec 1.

The discounts for the NGV retail price will take effect on Jan 16 until the end of 2015.Ms Yingluck said that issuing the energy credit cards forms part of the government’s policy to ease the impacts of the energy prices on low-income earners.

The government will extend subsidies for liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas for vehicles until Jan 15 and resume collecting levies for the Oil Fund on regular and premium petrol, diesel and gasohol starting from Jan 16.

On Sept 30, the National Energy Policy Council chaired by Prime Minister Yingluck approved a proposal for the state Oil Fund to borrow 10 billion baht from commercial banks to finance domestic fuel subsidies.